|
Originally Posted by OUAQUKGF Ops
(Post 11258500)
I've long searched for a decent photograph of The French Air Attache's Fouga Magister at Bovingdon or indeed anywhere. I've come across this image taken at Glasgow in 1975 of The Air Attache's runabout (rumoured to be on a golfing mission)
|
Originally Posted by chevvron
(Post 11258753)
Now why go to Glasgow for golf? Surely Prestwick or Leuchars would provide better courses.
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....a8a4482be6.png https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....d67353c13b.jpg Glasgow 1975. Photo Credit Lewis Grant with thanks. |
Not being a golfing person, my sole experience at Glasgow during my 9 month stay in 1972 was the 9 hole municipal course in Bellahouston Park.
I can see something in the back seat of the Magister but my little 11" screen doesn't show it clearly - looks more like a person. By the way, when Bovingdon closed to powered traffic at the end of '68, did the Magister move to Northolt? |
I Googled 'French Air Attache Golfer' and this came up - I'm not sure that he is our man ! ( But he was French and a Military Attache ). Incidentally in 1974 I believe the French Air Attache was a Colonel Perrotte and that he was a regular visitor in his Fouga Magister to Baldonnel in the period 74-76. Later, on reflection, perhaps his visits to Ireland were related to the purchase and introduction of the Fouga Magisters which entered service with the Irish Air Corps in 1975 ?
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....1a2740c487.png |
SPARE TIME.
I've lots of time thinking of my youth in the 1950s now that I'm stuck in a care home bed.I often went to Bovingdon both as a CCF cadet and a spotter.I flew in Ansons and also a Devon.I've a vague memory of being on standby to fly in a Meteor T7 if the weather cleared.I flew in an Anson right hand cockpit seat and can rememember priming the engines.I also flew in a couple of Chipmunks although not from Bovingdon.
From a spotting point of view there were always the C47s and occasional Packets.A Coastal Command Neptune was a visitor along with Shackletons,Coastal Command was based at Northwood.Unfortunately I do not have any pictures. Colin |
Originally Posted by KING6024
(Post 11261493)
I've lots of time thinking of my youth in the 1950s now that I'm stuck in a care home bed.I often went to Bovingdon both as a CCF cadet and a spotter.I flew in Ansons and also a Devon.I've a vague memory of being on standby to fly in a Meteor T7 if the weather cleared.I flew in an Anson right hand cockpit seat and can rememember priming the engines.I also flew in a couple of Chipmunks although not from Bovingdon.
From a spotting point of view there were always the C47s and occasional Packets.A Coastal Command Neptune was a visitor along with Shackletons,Coastal Command was based at Northwood.Unfortunately I do not have any pictures. Colin 'KING6024'? Would that be 'King' as in GWR? |
Hi Chevvron, yes I'm a member of the 6024 Preservation Society,I was on the main line Support Crew until 2012.If you are interested 6024.com is worth a look.
|
I once had the pleasure of doing a 'driving course' in a GWR pannier tank on the Swindon and Cricklade railway.
|
An airworthy Fouga Magister used to live at North Weald in the 80's.
|
Drifting with Disney
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....2991460a03.jpg
Orfordness Photo Derelict Places https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....3b59d80263.jpg I found this on the internet while digging for Disney but have no idea of the origin of the document which presumably at one stage was quite sensitive......... https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....4dfceacd96.jpg The Disney Rocket Assisted Bunker Busting Bomb - conceived and designed by Commander (later Captain) Edward Terrell RNVR in 1943 as a counter to Nazi U Boat and E Boat Operations from the European Atlantic Seaboard. An Admiralty Project which initially suffered obfuscation from The Air Ministry amongst others, the bomb was first used operationally by the 92nd Bomb Group of the USAAF in early 1945. At that time The Royal Air Force was not equipped with suitable aircraft capable of carrying Disneys externally so the Americans who had always shown an interest in the Project adopted the weapon for use by the Boeing B17 Flying Fortress. The Initial trials at Orfordness which were to test the stability of the bomb whilst in its supersonic trajectory were flown from Bovingdon in the spring and early summer of 1944. The Bomb had a Length of 16'6" - Diameter of 17" at tail - 15" at body. Weight 4500lbs. To be dropped from 20,00 feet with the 19 (3inch diameter) Rocket Motors activating at 5000 feet. It was calculated that using the Norden sight somewhere between five and seven hits on a shelter/bunker could be achieved out of every hundred bombs released. Unfortunately no location is given for this photograph but it could well be Bovingdon. On the left is Lieutenant-Commander J.B. Murray a pilot of the Fleet Air Arm and assistant to Terrell who is centre with an RAF Armaments Officer (un-named ) to the right. I can only speculate that this individual might be Flight Lieutenant F.C.Cowdrey who was at Bovingdon and whose medals were sold a few years ago. https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....f257d87596.png https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....24f04085bb.jpg Bovingdon 1944. Cass Hough, Admiral Sir Charles Kennedy-Purvis (A strong Proponent for Disney), Edward Terrell, Col Al Key Trials Pilot, Col Ben Kelsey Test Pilot and Chief of the Operating Engineering Section of 8th AF HQ Bovingdon. Algene Key was one of the Key Barnstorming brothers. A short film here of their 27 Day flight endurance record in 1935 at Meridian, Miss in a Curtiss Robin J-1 Deluxe: https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....9b1ad58cc6.jpg Ben Kelsey learnt to fly when he was 14 at Roosevelt Field, Long Island. I noticed that Woodbridge was mentioned somewhere as being involved in the initial bombing trials. However I can find no evidence that the airfield was used apart from a mention by Terrell that he was on board a laden B17 with Al Key taking off from an airfield near Woodbridge when due to a malfunction a violent swing occurred and the takeoff was abandoned. What does transpire is that Terrell based himself and his team in the town of Woodbridge for the duration of the tests at nearby Orfordness. https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....91d362e250.jpg Woodbridge Emergency Strip https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....1eb723ff36.jpg However the Bomb and Ballistics Unit of The Ministry of Aircraft Production arrived at Woodbridge Aerodrome in May 1944 with a couple of Lancasters and a Halifax for testing Bunker Busting Bombs at Orfordness. Initially all accommodation and admin was under canvas at the side of the vast landing strip. The strip first used in July 1943 achieved 4,120 landings by June 1945. Some interesting footage on link below. https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/i...ect/1060021135 https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....6c1d48436b.jpg Ballistics Observation Tower Orfordness The first Disney trial did not go well. The aiming point was in the sea just off King's Marsh on the Orfordness Range however the first Bomb detached itself from the B17 and rocketed to earth narrowly avoiding two farm workers and their Fordson Tractor whilst the second Disney went off course and plunged too far out to sea. Fortunately the weapons were being tested without warheads. Trials were much delayed by weather, a minimum clear ceiling of 20,00 feet being required. The B17 was escorted by two armed fighters. Disney was declared stable in its supersonic state and produced a most horrible howl which would put the wind up anyone. This stage of the trials was concluded satisfactorily by June 1944. A very good static detonation was achieved on the range at Shoeburyness and development continued until the end of 1944. The only live demonstration was given to Officials and sceptical RAF Brass by Ben Kelsey who flew from Bovingdon to Ashley Walk Range in The New Forest where the crew achieved an almost pin-point targeted explosion which caused the earth to shake. Video follows of 92nd Bomb Group Podington , Bedfordshire. https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....dd9842c536.png Schnellbootbunker 2 Ijmuiden Photo LandmarkScout https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....382b31516d.jpg 92nd BG attack Ijmuiden Schnellbootbunker 2 on March 14 1945. Nine Aircraft bomb in elements of three. Four rocket plumes seen indicate that two rockets have failed to fire. At the end of the inlet bottom left you can see Schnellbootbunker 1 which was abandoned after heavy bombing at the end of 1944 (617 squadron paid a visit on December 12th 1944) and both facilities suffered very heavy bombing. Schnellbootbunker 2 was first bombed with Disneys by nine B17s of 92 BG on February 10th 1945. 'Photo reconnaissance later showed that only one bomb had hit but the damage seemed encouraging' (Freeman 'The Mighty Eighth'). However Terrell's account of this raid reads: 'The first element consisting of three aircraft, recorded hits from 20,000 feet. An area of concrete of about 8550 feet and over twelve feet deep was completely destroyed and vanished. The bombardiers reported flames coming out of the entrance to the shelters, indicating that the bombs had penetrated and exploded inside.' Of the results of the bombing on March 14th Terrell writes in his book that of 18 bombs dropped, 'six struck the target' of which one partly penetrated 'Eighteen and a half feet of concrete but failed to explode , remaining embedded in the cement flooring.' After Liberation this Disney which was still 'live' was detonated in situ by Terrell's party with Scientists present to record the effects of Blast and Fragmentation within walls of concrete. One really cannot be sure how many Disneys hit the main bunker perhaps at best two and more likely only one. Further Reading: Admiralty Brief by Edward Terrell O.B.E. Q.C. Published by Harrap 1958. https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....0e7886049c.jpg The Schnellbootbunker2 Ijmuiden date unknown but probably at the closing stages of the war. https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....9ab47fcb45.jpg Edward Terrell at the V2 Structure at Watten, Pas De Calais in 1945. This facility used for Disney target practice by the 92BG after the allied invasion and prior to the attacks at Ijmuiden Netherlands. Penetrated here to a depth of 21 Feet. |
If you are not bored by Bunkers you might find this of interest....
.. |
Plucked From The Ether
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....11afb77c08.jpg
Whirlwind HAR2 XJ727 March 1956. A visitor from 22 Squadron Detachment Martlesham. Photo Late Arthur Pearcy. In February 1956 XJ727 had been busy...... https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....d994cabac4.png Excerpt from 'Life-Boat' 1956 Journal RNLI More Here:Aircrew Remembered: Aviation Obituaries XJ727 was eventually upgraded to HAR 10 specification and served with 2 FTS and The Central Flying School (Helicopters). https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....862a392b52.png At Shawbury during the 1970s. Incidentally XJ727 was one of the helicopters used at Wittering in 1974 to train Harrier Pilots in hovering techniques. Photo L.A. Rodger. https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....f52bd8e304.png XJ727 at Halton with No 1 School of Technical Training in 1989. Photo Neil Brant. https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....d42d65a553.png On the Dump at Dishforth June 1994. Photo the Late Sid Nanson, with thanks. https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....e5717162ca.png For spares RAF Manston History Museum 1998. Photo eLaReF. https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....9f9491de4f.jpg Paintball site at the disused Richborough Power Station in 2007. Photo oblivion State. https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....b866782010.jpg Recorded as XJ727 (perhaps in part !) Photo Matthew Last. |
Squadron Leader 'Bill' Paston-Williams.
An interesting tribute here by his son. Paston-Williams was stationed at Bovingdon with Fighter Command (Communications) Squadron in the Nineteen-Fifties.
http://www.lancaster-lm658.co.uk/lan...illiams-a-f-c/ |
A Few More Gleanings
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....2c6e2c925a.jpg
Damping Down The Tudor October 26th 1951. https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....1ffea57c4b.jpg Avro Lincoln. https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....b659065ea2.jpg At long last an image of what I take to be The French Air Attache's Fouga Magister. Serial Number 78. Date 1962 https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....5a7b6abc57.jpg RAF Issue November 1944. https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....ba774f7ef8.jpg RAF issue November 1944. Note Aprons yet to be completed and splendid Tower Call Sign: 'EarlsCourt' |
The Fouga! That brings back memories! I was on Coastal Com when the photo was taken, and I am sure the building (shed) on the right was our CCCF. HQ.
|
That looks like the first hangar coming from the guardroom whereas when I saw it in '65/6/7 it was parked outside the second hangar and we parked our gliders in the first one along with a lone Mosquito which had been left behind after '663' and the 'snow blower'..
|
A Few Meagre Pickings.
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....3adb70ceab.jpg
Dated 1957 Quite a good read here about service with The USAF 7531st Air Base Squadron. Once you have got into the link you need time before accessing pages 103-126 as they don't all come up at once: https://www.google.co.uk/books/editi...sec=frontcover Another Tit-Bit here pages 121-123:www.google.co.uk/books/edition/Fleet_Air_Arm_Boys/ZzhIEAAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=bovingdon&pg=PA122&printsec=fro ntcover |
Originally Posted by OUAQUKGF Ops
(Post 11307810)
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....3adb70ceab.jpg
Dated 1957 Quite a good read here about service with The USAF 7531st Air Base Squadron. Once you have got into the link you need time before accessing pages 103-126 as they don't all come up at once: https://www.google.co.uk/books/editi...sec=frontcover Another Tit-Bit here pages 121-123:www.google.co.uk/books/edition/Fleet_Air_Arm_Boys/ZzhIEAAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=bovingdon&pg=PA122&printsec=fro ntcover |
An Old Record
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....026ec09374.png
Photo: British Newspaper Archive. Illustrated London News August 7th 1954 Lieut-Cmdr J.R.S. (Jack) Overbury of The Naval Test Squadron on his return to Bovingdon 29 July 1954 having set a point to point Class C1 London (Bovingdon) - Amsterdam (Schipol) Record 224 miles in 23 minutes, 39.7 secs at 571.5 mph in his Sea Hawk. https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....e0724ea34b.png Photo: British Newspaper Archive Illustrated London News August 7th 1954 Jack Overbury 1925-1960 served in The Royal Navy from 1943. He graduated from 12th Course ETPS Farnborough in 1953. From 1954 until 1956 he was on the strength of The Naval Test Squadron at Boscombe Down. During this time he set another record on 2nd July 1955 flying a Sea Venom from Rome to Malta at 538 mph. https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....1ea7a8d7e5.png Prototype de Havilland Sea Venom 21 XA539. Overbury was one of several pilots who carried out Deck Trials on HMS Albion with this particular aircraft at the end of August 1954. Jack Overbury left the Navy and joined Saunders Roe in 1957 as the Assistant Chief Test Pilot. Here he flew early development flights on the SR53 Prototype XD145 and the ill-fated XD151. https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....7b47cd24c7.png It was during this period that Jack met with a mishap displaying a Turbulent at Sandown on the Isle of Wight and ended up in hospital. https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....95915bd1a4.jpg And here we see Elizabeth https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....d56e52284c.png https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....56aa72a0cb.png https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....c2cdca3ca1.jpg In 1959 Jack Overbury was employed as a Test Pilot by Huntings at Luton. I think the couple moved to Studham near Whipsnade. Unfortunately Jack was killed in 1960 when Jet Provost G-AOUS suffered a sequence of events that resulted in a structural failure. https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....980c8f36ac.jpg Photo: BAE Systems Heritage - Percival Hunting Collection. G-AOUS at Luton. Date Unknown. https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....3ea65afa15.gif Photo: Langford History Society. Wreckage at Langford Common Bedfordshire 16th November 1960. https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....d321cd6bdc.gif Photo Langford History Society https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....dfb9100fde.jpg At sometime around 1964 Elizabeth who had been instructing at Luton Flying Club joined Autair International as a First Officer at Luton Airport. Initially she mainly flew Ambassador aircraft graduating to the 748 (In those days you could fly both types concurrently). In 1968 she was among the first Autair Pilots to be sent for Ground School and Flying Training on the BAC111 with British United Airways at Gatwick before returning to Luton for further training and line flying on Autair's newly introduced BAC111s. https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....966639031f.png 2021 Correction published by The Guardian. https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....ffa173f774.jpg Photo: Elizabeth Overbury/Graham Simons. Senior First Officer Palma Majorca 1969 With the collapse of Court Line in 1974 Elizabeth found employment with Dan Air as a Captain on their HS748 Fleet. https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....94adf5e7b6.jpg Photo: Dan Air Remembered. I'm afraid that Elizabeth died some years ago now. I have been unable to track down her obituary. She re-married in 1977. I have found an interesting snippet on the following link - for the second part of the video click on 'read the full conversation'. It shows Elizabeth as sparky as ever. Just as I remember her from all those years ago at Autair. It was tough for her being a young widow and being mucked around by an inexperienced tea boy come Crewing Officer (Me). I remember she had a very smart White Volvo Sports Car in those days. |
Photo of the Autair Ambassador isn't Luton, I think it's Liverpool.
|
Yes indeed it is Liverpool - The Old Liverpool Terminal - Somewhat smarter than Luton don't you think? I just thought it was a good photograph of The Ambassador.
Postscript: Inferior images removed and replaced with this: https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....be89c059ae.jpg Jack Overbury on his return to Bovingdon from Schipol. |
An interesting Titbit
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....89d687b229.png
Image: British Newspaper Archive. https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....8a4a2e4780.png https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....6b5b3d7cdf.png Source Pan Am Historical Foundation. In the event the early post-war American Transatlantic services to London were operated into Hurn Airport. Heathrow was then not operational and presumably Bovingdon (ideally situated) was not used because it was then still a military airfield. Slight drift here:https://www.smithsonianmag.com/air-s...ght-180975833/ |
The Dawn of Aphrodite
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....73c6d8b2c3.png
Extracted from 8th Air Force News 2005 with thanks. https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....4d01e28055.png Col Kelsey (left) Major Hough (2nd Right) and other members of The First Fighter Group. June 1942. Probably at Goxhill, Lincs. Photo: Roger Freeman Collection American Air Museum in Britain. https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....b4c2b6943.jpeg 'Mother' and 'Baby' 1944. The 'Mother' would usually be at a much greater height than this. 'Mother' ships were sometimes at an altitude of 18,000 feet above the 'Baby' at the initial rendezvous point. Photo: American Air Museum in Britain. Little is mentioned about the part that Bovingdon's USAAF Operational Engineering Section played in the early days of the ill-fated 'Project Aphrodite' in which war- weary B17F/G aircraft were developed to be used as remote controlled Flying Bombs. For a general overview use this link: https://theaviationgeekclub.com/proj...fes-v-1-sites/ The first flight trials took place at Bovingdon on the evening of 24th June 1944. Colonels Cass Hough and Al Key flew the B17 'Baby' while Major Henry J. Rand operated as the Controller in the B17 'Mother' ship. Cloud restricted 'Mother's' height from a planned 20,000 feet to 6,000 feet but the trials were considered a reasonable success. During June 1944 Ten aircraft were converted to 'Babies' at Burtonwood, Lancs and flown initially to Bovingdon. Intensive crew training at Bovingdon and Honington ? commenced in great secrecy probably towards the end of June 1944, with each volunteer requiring 25 hours flying time. The Project came under the control of the U.S. Third Air Division H.Q. at Elveden Hall, Suffolk. At this stage further aircraft were being converted at Honington Airfield, Suffolk where technical and operational support for the Project was then based. Volunteer crews included men drawn from the 388th BG (B17) Knettishall, Suffolk and the 458th BG (B24) Horsham st Faith, Norfolk. The latter were experienced in the use of Azon guided weapons and some of their B24s were used as 'Mother' ships. The U.S. Navy also participated as 'Project Anvil' using war- weary PB4Y-1 aircraft. The first mission was planned to operate from RAF Woodbridge, Suffolk towards the end of the first week of July 1944 (I think the explosives were loaded there on July 7th). The Technical Support Section moved in from Honington en-masse. However lengthy delays, mainly weather related were encountered. It became clear that a very busy Emergency Landing Strip was not suitable for Bombers each loaded with 20,000lbs of high explosive, plus Escorts, sitting around waiting for the weather to improve. The Americans were not made to feel welcome at Woodbridge. One account has the ten drones parked up wing-tip to wing-tip in an isolated corner of the airfield together with the Project's tented encampment. There were complaints from the RAF about tarmac damage caused by the heavily loaded aircraft. To cap it all, much to the Americans' concern, a Luftwaffe Junkers 88G-1 nightfighter lost and low on fuel landed on the strip to be captured intact during the early hours of 13 July 1944. https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....b5de91eca3.png On or around 15 July 1944 the Mission was cancelled and the Project decamped from Woodbridge to their new base which had been known as RAF Winfarthing now renamed RAF Fersfield in Norfolk. Here they remained for the duration of the Project although a few of the last missions are thought to have been flown from the parent Airfield at Knettishall from where technical and operational support was supplied to Fersfield. (Further Reading: 'Final Flights' by Ian McLachlan Published by PSL 1989. and 'Aphrodite Desperate Mission' by Jack Olson published by Putnam 1970.) https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....18c3ae9220.png Source: Wikipedia N.B. The above is not wholly accurate. For instance on August 4th 1944: The Crash 'Near Orford' and the crash at Sudbourne are one and the same, the pilot being killed and the engineer surviving. https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....a8c3cac071.png Lieut Colonel Roy Forrest, Commanding Officer USAAF Fersfield seated in Gremlin Gus 11. https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....fac5de5381.png https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....3cd50f9861.jpg https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....388d466b8c.png Ack: Flight Aware and Doug Hildreth. The first image, which was probably taken at Fersfield , appears in the first edition of Roger Freeman's classic book 'The Mighty Eighth' (1970) and is there mis-identified. The B17 is 42-30595 Gremlin Gus 11 and as far as I know it was the only B17 so 'modified'. It was adapted to carry Hydrostatic Bombs the loading of which necessitated the removal of much of the top fuselage which was then replaced by a fairing on completion of loading. Unusually the cockpit was left exposed to the elements. It is said that the windshield came from a large motor car and that the B17 was nick-named 'The Roadster'. It was designed to sink the German Battleship 'Tirpitz', which the RAF finally managed to do on November 12th 1944. As can be seen in the last photograph this B17 was salvaged in 1946 and looks to possibly be back in the USA rather than in Britain. A couple of interesting links:https://www.forcedlandingcollection....0-mugwump.html https://thefrontlines.com/story/WW2-project-aphrodite/ Captured Ju 88 Radar Nightfighter |
Gremlin Gus 11 ?
I know I should get out more and it has now stopped raining - however I have been looking at this somewhat overlong silent movie shot at USAAF Honington. Right at the end of the reel from 28.52m is footage of what looks to be a B17 drone taking off and taxying. The departing B17 and particularly the taxying B17 look very much like 'Gremlin Gus 11', the tail letter H being that of the 388th Bomb Group. What do you think ?? I've also added a tit-bit about another B17 which is seen in the Movie.
https://eafa.org.uk/work/?id=214 https://www.americanairmuseum.com/aircraft/11721 https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....ed215b6461.png 'Scuse Thread Drift. |
Made in Chesham
Originally Posted by Heathhurn
(Post 4594675)
I was deputy Satco at Bovingdon 67 to 69 and while there I worked closely with the MOCA civil Fire Crew who had been there for years previous. They told me that before the USAF left they buried tons of spares in the grass areas as well as burying a complete Lightning aircraft adjacent to the fire ground. I never got to excavate, but there will be some interesting finds if ever it is dug over. When the Battle of Britain filming finished the film company buried their dummy bombs in the grass adjacent to what was the underground avaition fuel storage facility. The fuel tanks were removed in 69 by flooding the gravel pits in which they were buried, then the empty tanks floated to the surface for removal. The largest aircraft that visited when I was there was a DC6 which came in to have seats fitted by a local firm. The Fouga Magister was resident as were Bassetts Ansons Pembrokes & Devons. The Ansons were sold off from Bovingdon in 68 and two went to Biafra flown by some intrepid pilots from Elstree who did their tail dragging conversions with the RAF before departing. Another Anson set off in the hands of a PPL accompanied by an air hostess from Luton for the States and on the first leg to Prestwick ended up in Ireland. I don`t know if they ever crossed the real pond. My time at Bovingdon was interesting as 3 films were made there during my time these being Mosquito Squadron, Battle of Britain & 633 Squadron. Mitchell, Messerschmit, Spitfires and Hurricanes were all mustered by Grp Capt Hamish Mahaddie as needed.
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....3a0f09c02e.jpg 1968. Thought to be the DC6 mentioned above. https://www.britishpathe.com/video/c...-aircraft-seat Aircraft Seats are still produced in Chesham (Buckinghamshire not Berkshire) by this company Flying Service Engineering. I expect Chevvron remembers their old factory towards the bottom of Nashleigh Hill. |
Mystery Object
|
|
Extract Daily Mail 8th January 1953
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....0b0c9dc083.png
Note Court appearance of Tudor Fleet Captain Marian Kozubski. Although not based at Bovingdon the Avro Tudors of William Dempster Line were to be seen at the airport during the early 1950s. The photograph below was probably taken at Stansted. https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....2889d42aab.png Ack Ruud Leeuw. https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....56a0feb634.png Daily Herald October 27th 1951. BNA. This accident has already been covered on this thread. However I've just come across this extract. Interesting that Customs were not always available at Stansted in those far off days. |
92nd bomb group b17 images
An interesting selection here with many, but certainly not all, photographs taken at Bovingdon.
92nd BG based at Bovingdon August 1942- January 1943. Alconbury January 1943 - September 1943. Podington September 1943 - July 1945. Having first arrived at Bovingdon from the USA with new B17s the 92nd had to forfeit their aeroplanes and be content with hand-me-downs from the 97th Bomb Group who were at the time based at Polebrook. Click on image. https://www.asisbiz.com/il2/B-17/92BG.html |
Donut Dollies
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....e17d468a71.jpg
B17 41-9042 'Berlin Sleeper' previously with 97th BG Polebrook but transferred to 92nd BG Bovingdon September 1942. Later said to be with the 303rd BG at Molesworth and renamed 'Ridge Runner'. This photograph is one of a sequence of four very similar and unattributed. In one of the images the camouflage over the Hangar Doors can be glimpsed and is very similar to that of No 1 Hangar at Bovingdon. The 'Life Magazine' photographer Margaret Bourke-White was active with the 97th BG at Polebrook in the autumn of 1942 but none of her images show 41-9042 or any American Red Cross Mobile Canteens in Hangars. There is already a photograph of the 'Berlin Sleeper' being towed down the runway at Bovingdon posted on this thread (#197) and it seems reasonable to attribute the location of the above image to Bovingdon. The American Red Cross Clubmobile here above consists of an adapted E83W FORDSON together with a trailer - the registration in this case JWL619. https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....5dd9532b02.png https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....41bcbb657a.png Photo Credit Panzernet. Possibly Bovingdon..... A bit of light-hearted drift here - Snetterton not Bovingdon. .The Butterfly Balcony: Women In Wartime - ARC Clubmobile |
Originally Posted by OUAQUKGF Ops
(Post 11266861)
XJ727 was eventually upgraded to HAR 10 specification and served with 2 FTS and The Central Flying School (Helicopters). https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....862a392b52.png At Shawbury during the 1970s. Incidentally XJ727 was one of the helicopters used at Wittering in 1974 to train Harrier Pilots in hovering techniques. Photo L.A. Rodger. |
Good to hear from you !
|
Bovingdon post war
I've been wondering for some time about the history of Bovingdon post WW2.
Bovingdon was one of the 7 civil airfields (Ministry of Aviation?) designated as 'the' airports to serve London in the immediate post war era prior to Heathrow taking on most of the services,others being places like Blackbushe, Fairlop and Stansted. At some time in the '50s Bovingdon was transferred to RAF control, presumably as more and more services moved to Heathrow and its then 'relief' airport at Gatwick. Looking through some of my 'archive' material about the history of Farnborough ATC, I found this:- 'The arrival of senior ATCO (Air Traffic Control Officer) Ken Pearson from the civil airport at Bovingdon in 1954 brought a new impetus to developments in the ATC organisation at Farnborough' I believe this same Ken Pearson later served as SATCO at Heathrow at some time and a move from Bovingdon could have meant he was destined for greater things, so could 1954 be when Bovingdon was transferred from civil back to RAF control? |
Originally Posted by ShyTorque
(Post 11340025)
I flew that same airframe at Shawbury in March 1979. They were really quite big for a primary trainer!
|
Originally Posted by chevvron
(Post 11340109)
The first helicopter I got my hands on at Farnborough and handled the controls was a Napier Gazelle engined Wessex Mk1 which was even bigger!
|
Originally Posted by ShyTorque
(Post 11340120)
Yes, at the time I went through training the RAF also used twin Gnome engined Wessex 5s as the advanced trainer. A flying emergencies trainer; the emergencies checklist was the thickest of any aircraft I flew. To get through them all on the course it seemed that you needed to practice a couple on every sortie!
I would sometimes look at the next days flying programme to see if there was anyone programmed for solo C/T (continuation training) and saw OC Flying's name, so I knocked on his door and he was only too happy to take me up. He handled the checklist of course, then proceeded to teach me hovering over a fixed spot, air taxying, liftoffs and touchdowns etc for the next hour; all great fun for a mere ATCO. |
Originally Posted by chevvron
(Post 11340105)
I've been wondering for some time about the history of Bovingdon post WW2.
Bovingdon was one of 6 civil airfields (Minsitry of Aviation?) designated as 'the' airports to serve London in the immediate post war era prior to Heathrow taking on most of the services,others being Blackbushe, Luton and Southend. At some time in the '50s Bovingdon was transferred to RAF control, presumably as more and more services moved to Heathrow and its then 'relief' airport at Gatwick. Looking through some of my 'archive' material about the history of Farnborough ATC, I found this:- 'The arrival of senior ATCO (Air Traffic Control Officer) Ken Pearson from the civil airport at Bovingdon in 1954 brought a new impetus to developments in the ATC organisation at Farnborough' I believe this same Ken Pearson later served as SATCO at Heathrow at some time and a move from Bovingdon could have meant he was destined for greater things, so could 1954 be when Bovingdon was transferred from civil back to RAF control? http://filestore.nationalarchives.go...-52-220-20.pdf |
I joined the Coastal Command Com Flight from 152 Sqn in Bahrain in September 1961, living in the Officers mess at CC HQ at RAF Northwood. We used to traval up to Bovingdon in a J2 daily, where we had 4 Ansons and a Valetta based. We moved to live at Bovingdon about 6 months later. Then I left when my Argosy course started in Sept 1962. Apart from the Met men, I can't remember any Civilians in the tower.
|
I can remember military flying from Bovingdon in the early '50s, mostly Meteors, Dakotas, Ansons and the occasional Vampire, the approaches for civil and other military aircraft being mostly out or our eyesight where we lived in Chesham at the time which was on low ground adjacent to the cricket and football fields (which both still exist) but a house move in about 1954 to higher ground to the north west of Chesham meant we had a much better view of other traffic.
I do however remember one momentous sight from this earlier home; I heard a noise, looked outside and glimpsed a large aircraft with '6 propellors facing backwards' heading in the general direction of Bovingdon; on running indoors to tell my older brother, he hit me saying I was lying! I don't for one minute expect a B36 actually landed at Bovingdon, it must have just been a flypast for some reason Addirionally from that era before '54, the noise of an approaching Meteor with its engines slightly out of sync produced a wailing noise which, to a 3/4 year old, I found frightening and I would run indoors and hide - until the day my brother locked me out in the garden and I realised it would not harm me! |
" I would run indoors and hide " Yes most evenings I do this too when the American Special Forces C130s rattle the chimney pots......My late wife called them 'Tractors' having met a C130 head on up the lane and just over the treetops whilst she was walking our dog.........
|
| All times are GMT. The time now is 05:38. |
Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.